Walkin' On Sunshine Day 8

Who's out there walkin' on sunshine? I'm going to leave the doggie at home tomorrow and try to get 2 miles in. :-)

Happy Columbus Day!

Activities -
Enchanted Learning crafts - Columbus
We chose to do the color-by-number, alphabet code, and map activity.

Books -
Monday
I, Christopher Columbus
by Lisl Wiel
Things to Make and Do for Columbus Day
by Gail Gibbons
Tuesday
1492 Year of Columbus
by Genevieve Foster
Wednesday and Thursday
Columbus
by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
Friday
I, Columbus My Journey 1492-1493
edited by Peter and Connie Roop

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
24 servings

for filling
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
for muffins
2 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon all spice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup oil

For the filling, beat cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth; set aside. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Divide half of the batter among 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Drop filling by teaspoonfuls over batter. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks and enjoy!

Supper Menus
October 13th-19th

Monday
"Columbus Day Dinner" super easy super cheesy lasagna, caesar salad, italian bread
Tuesday
hamburger soup, jalapeno cheese cornbread
Wednesday
Mrs. Wilt's saucy chicken sandwiches, lettuce and tomato salad
Thursday
texas chili, johnny cake, rustic autumn fruit tart
Friday
pot roast, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls
Saturday
steaks, corn and bell peppers on the grill, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls, Laura Ingalls Wilder's gingerbread

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 7

We're 1/3 of the way done! Didn't that go by quickly?! I only got in a token walk this evening - ran out of daylight. How did you do today? Please leave your progress in the comments! :-)

If anyone would like to be a "Sunshine Walker" for the last 2 weeks of Walkin' On Sunshine, please feel free to post a comment and let us know you're joining in! :-) Happy Walking!

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 6

We're one more day closer to the goal! How did everyone do today? Post your time and/or distance for Saturday. It's ok to miss a day or two. I'm just trying for the 21 days in a row to get that habit back in my mind - to feel like something is missing if I haven't walked. Happy Sunshine Walking! :-)

Napkin Folding

My daughter was taught a nice way to fold a napkin at her last 4H meeting. She would like to share the instructions with you!

Start with a square napkin.

Fold it in half.

And fold it in half again.

Fold down the first corner.

And then fold down the second...

...and third corners.

Pick up the napkin and turn it over.

Then fold one corner in...

...and then the other corner.

Turn it over again. Now your napkin is complete and...

...you have a pocket to put your silverware in! Fun!

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 5

Sunshine Walkers, how did you do today?

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 4

Hi all you Sunshine Walkers! It's time to report your times and/or distances! Four days down, only seventeen to go! :-)

Comfort

"It doesn't matter what you have, someone else always has something bigger or better. And those decorating magazines can often give us great ideas but also a dose of the "gotta have it" syndrome. Maybe it's time to take a little break. Instead of focusing on "home beautiful", concentrate on what makes your home warm and caring. A place where you can express your God-given talents. No mater how little or how much you have, you can experience the results of a godly home. Make it more of a sanctuary in the best sense. A place of security, trust, and comfort. That comes from you. There's no decorating scheme in the world that can replace the role you play in your home!"

from "The One Minute Home Organizer"
by Emilie Barnes

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 3

We have two more Sunshine Walkers!

Welcome to
Linda and
Canadian in the Country

As you complete your walk (or other exercise) today, feel free to post your progress in the comments section here for Day 3!

"Pumpkins in the cornfields

Gold among the brown,

Leaves of rust and scarlet

Trembling slowly down.

Birds that travel southward

Lovely time to play,

Nothing is as pleasant

As an autumn day!"

~Author Unknown

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Harvest Memory" by John McNaughton

Walkin' On Sunshine Day 2

Hi Sunshine Walkers!

I think I'll put a post up each day of the Walkin' On Sunshine 21 days, so that participants can post their time and/or distance. I can also add the names of anyone who would like to join us - it's not too late. :-)

After your walks, don't you just feel like you can conquer the world! Or is that just me... ;-)

Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped vegetables of choice (onions, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini squash, carrots, mushrooms)
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
pinch of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce

Saute vegetables in oil until tender. Add seasonings, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve over pasta and enjoy.

Our sauce was extra special tonight with garden fresh peppers from Giggles's Mom. :-)

Do you have a pedometer?

They're great! This is a very simple one that I got at Wal-Mart for about $6. It keeps track of time, steps, mileage and calories burned. I have found it to only be accurate when I am actually out on a walk. If I clip it on when I am just walking around the house, it will say I walk 3 miles just unloading the dishwasher - haha! But when I am out walking for exercise, it is very accurate. And a great motivator!

Supper Menus
October 6th-11th

Monday
angel hair pasta with marinara sauce, green salad
Tuesday
tortilla soup
Wednesday
Mrs. Wilt's saucy chicken sandwiches, spicy potato wedges
Thursday
Jessica Simpson's chicken and dumplings, lettuce and tomato salad
Friday
jalapeno chicken enchiladas, spanish rice, refried beans, tortilla chips and dips, Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings
Saturday
grilled steaks, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls

Walkin' on Sunshine Day 1

An early-morning walk

is a blessing for the whole day.

~Henry David Thoreau

Ok ladies - it's time to start! Feel free to post your walking time and/or distance in the comments section. Mine will be in the side bar.

Sunshine Walkers -

Heather

Jennifer

Kerri

the other Mrs. H

Mama Hen

Christa

Kelli

Renee

Giggles

Mama Giggles

"The best things in life are nearest:

Breath in your nostrils,

light in your eyes,

flowers at your feet,

duties at your hand,

the path of right just before you.

Then do not grasp at the stars,

but do life's plain, common work as it comes,

certain that daily duties and daily bread

are the sweetest things in life."

~Robert Louis Stevenson

It doesn't take much to make a happy birthday boy...

a win on the soccer field

burgers on the deck

"choose your own chips"

a few presents from friends

and lots and lots of video games. :-)

Walkin' On Sunshine!

I'm out of the habit...
My waist line needs me to be back in the habit... ;-)
Everyone knows that anything you do for 21 days becomes a habit!

So who's with me?! Let's walk for 21 days! :-) I'll track my miles in the side bar. If you would like to walk, too, just leave a comment or post on your own blog. I have no idea how to do a "Mr. Linky" but maybe with enough interest I could learn. My 21 days will start on Monday - please let me know if you'll be walking, too! :-)